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TOP NEWS
Merck & Co
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 13/05/2010
[Industry news]
Emerging markets key for Merck long-term performance
Merck & Co has highlighted emerging markets such as China and Latin America as a major driver for its success over the next few years.
They will be a key contributor to our long-term performance, said president Kenneth Frazier in the company’s first R&D briefing since its merger with Schering-Plough last November.
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Merck & Co has highlighted emerging markets such as China and Latin America as a major driver for its success over the next few years.
They will be a key contributor to our long-term performance, said president Kenneth Frazier in the company’s first R&D briefing since its merger with Schering-Plough last November.
In fact Merck wants sales from these territories to grow to more than 25% of total pharma and vaccine sales over the next three years.
”Given our expanded global reach, Merck is now better positioned to address the serious burden of disease in emerging markets and provide expanded access to our products,” Frazier added.
Local presence will be grown via new research, public-private partnerships and more manufacturing, licensing and co-marketing activities.
Branded generics as well as new launches will be among the keys to success, Merck says.
The manufacturer is keen to point out that it is already the second leading pharma company in Latin America, marketing six of the 20 most widely sold medicines in the region.
And it now has around 3,000 sales reps in China, an increase of 90% over the past three years.
Meanwhile dipeptidyl peptidase-4 products Januvia and Janumet have sales of $200 million from emerging markets and are the second largest oral diabetes brands in Korea and India.
This therapy area, along with cardiovascular disease and women’s health, will be targeted in developing countries, Merck adds.
Meanwhile the company says it is already “delivering on the promise” of its takeover of Schering-Plough. “This merger was about creating a new global health care leader, and we are well on our way,” insisted Merck chief executive Richard Clark.
The combined company’s late-stage pipeline includes two expected respiratory launches this year: mometasone/formoterol combination for asthma in the US and Europe, and Daxas in Europe for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which it will co-promote with Nycomed.
Clark also says Merck has successfully prioritised its clinical research programmes and integrated of the majority of the company’s top 20 markets. |
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